


La Coccinelle et le Chat Noir

by AeonTheDimensionalGirl



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Ladynoir July, Pre Season 2, Writen Pre-Season 2, and a few reveals, anyway we got romantic and platonic ladynoir here, it was awesome, it was for 2017, one shots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 05:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 8,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14371671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeonTheDimensionalGirl/pseuds/AeonTheDimensionalGirl
Summary: It's simple: She's the lucky one, and he's the unlucky one. Most of the time. A series of drabbles for 2017's Ladynoir July.





	1. Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (inspired by the ML Chibi preview)

“What in the name of our kwamis are you doing?!” Ladybug half shouted to her partner.

Currently covered from head to toe in spaghetti and red sauce, all while wearing a ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron, Chat Noir grinned sheepishly. Behind him, Ladybug could spot a casserole and a carry-on stove for camping use on fire.

“Uh… preparing dinner?” Chat responded, his cheeks burning of embarrassment under his mask while his cat ears and tail flopped.

Ladybug simply stared.

“…why?”

Chat Noir, for the first time since Ladybug knew him, look ready to die on the spot.

“Well… you said at the start of patrol that you had to skip dinner in order to meet with me and well… I decided to bring dinner to you, My Lady” he said, his green eyes avoiding her. He was sure Ladybug had run out of patience with him at his attempts to win her over. She would demand a change of partner, tell him she hated him and leave.

However, Ladybug let out a sigh, but instead of yelling at him (like he had feared), she gave Chat a little fond smile.

“Chaton, next time, try buying some snacks” she said as she walked over to him. “I appreciate the dinner gesture, but perhaps-”

A small explosion interrupted her. Both heroes turned to look at the carry-on stove. Or… what was left of it.

“… you should learn how to cook first” Ladybug noted.


	2. Banter

“I’m just saying, from all the ridiculous things you have done since I meet you, break dancing in the park to call Mr. Pigeons attention has to be the worst one ever”.

The gasp of indignation that left Chat Noir’s mouth almost reached the United Kingdom.

“ _Excuse_ me, My Lady, but my dance moves are purrfect,” he protested. Ladybug didn’t try to hide her amusement.

“Only for you, Chaton,” she said before turning her attention back to the city and away from her now pouting partner.

However, Chat Noir’s pout soon became a sly smile.

“Well, what about you, My Lady,” he purred as he move nearer to Ladybug’s side. “I can remember, very clearly, a little bug hiding in a box to surprise a dabbing Santa Claus”.

Ladybug looked unamused.

“… You know we had to stop that Akuma one way or another,” she responded. But her partner wasn’t finished.

“And then there was that improv band to stop Horrificator.…”

“A band in which you participated as the drummer”.

“… Tried to get yourself sacrificed to a god…”

“He was going to sacrifice Alya!”

“… rode a dragon and a hairdryer…”

“You rode the dragon too,” Ladybug huffed. “And you enjoyed that”. Chat smiled.

“True”.

“And don’t think I didn’t heard you hum the theme from _‘How to Train your Dragon’_ while we were at it”, Ladybug added with a smirk.

“HEY!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to thecrazydragonlady for being my beta in this drabble


	3. Explosive

“Let’s face it, of course Ladybug needs you, Chat Noir, without you she’s a weak woman”.

Chat Noir could only look at the reporter with shock and disdain.

After a short Akuma battle in which neither hero had to use their special power, they had been surrounded by the news reporters and bloggers, throwing question after question to Ladybug and Chat Noir.

It was all going well until a reporter from outside of Paris had fired the statement.

Casting a look over his shoulder towards his partner, Chat could see that Ladybug had stopped paying attention to Alya, who, in turn, had also gone quiet. In fact, almost every single person surrounding them had gone silent.

Ladybug walked over to them, her face stoic.  The reporter’s face had a little smirk of satisfaction.

“I’m sorry, but could you repeat that again? I might have heard you wrong, but I believe you told my partner that I only needed him because I’m a woman and thus I’m weak,” Ladybug said in sweet voice while giving a polite smile.

“Well, dear, you heard right. Haven’t you said before that without Chat Noir there wouldn’t be a Ladybug defending Paris?” the reporter said with arrogance. The two teenagers gave each other a look of complicity before smirking back at the reporter.

“Well yes, I have. He’s one of the reasons I stand here today” Ladybug confirmed.

“But she is _pretty_ capable of saving the day without me, too”, Chat Noir added. “In fact, one time she was able to take down five people without my help”.

“Oh, really?” the reporter asked, clearly not believing them.

Ladybug leaned in, locking her blue eyes with the reporter’s. Behind her, Chat readied himself for the upcoming explosion, wishing he had a bucket of popcorn.

“Yes, _really_. I have taken down five people with the help on my yoyo and a lucky charm, without breaking a sweat; I’ve been able to lift and hit stuff you can only dream of doing and even if you tried to do, you would break your tiny little wrist; all of them, I did without Chat Noir’s help. Does that still make me any weak?” Ladybug fired back at the reporter.

“You’re bluffing”, huffed the reporter. “There’s no proof that you did that”

 Chat Noir put his hand in the reporter’s shoulder, and without missing a beat, he said:

“ _I_ was one of the five people she took down on her own without breaking a sweat”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reporter's gender is for you guys to decide, since misogyny can come from both genders


	4. Common Interests

It had become a bit of a tradition for Ladybug and Chat Noir to meet after patrol to talk for a little while before going back home. As long as it didn’t involve their identities, both heroes would often chat about the things they liked or their pop culture preferences. The later was the most discussed between them.

“Okay, how about… Darth Vader or Kylo Ren?” Ladybug asked.

“Oh, definitely Darth Vader. Most of his story arc is based on the fact he was basically manipulated into the dark side. Kylo Ren, as far as we know, joined on his own free will”, Chat Noir responded as he took another homemade cookie from the little bag Ladybug had brought. His partner hummed in agreement.

“That’s an interesting argument,” Ladybug said, “My turn?”

Chat took a moment to think his question.

“Is Snape a good guy or a bad guy?” he asked. Ladybug groaned.

“Of all the questions that you could have asked about our related interests, you go with the most debatable character in modern history?” she complained. Chat only gave her a smirk in return.

“Come on, bugaboo. You told me you loved the _‘Harry Potter’_ books, and you’re not a true Potterhead if you haven’t participated in the Snape debate” he told her, his tail moving behind in anticipation.

Ladybug let out a sigh.

“Fine,” she said, “I believe that he’s more of a bad guy. Did he make some good deeds? Yes. But that doesn’t make me forget the fact that he basically bullied children, and if Neville had been the chosen one, Snape would have still been a Death Eater.”

“Finally someone who I know agrees on it!” Chat happily cheered. Ladybug chuckled.

“Okay, Chaton, your turn,” she said.

“Fire away, LB”

Ladybug smirked.

“Which one’s better, Yuri On Ice or Naruto?”

“MY LADY, DON’T MAKE ME CHOOSE!”


	5. Right- Hook

“Boxer gloves?! What am I supposed to do with this?!” Ladybug asked herself in bewilderment.

A cry of pain called her attention, and the spotted heroine had to prevent herself from flinching at seeing Chat Noir take another beat from Hawk Moth’s newest Akuma, El Macho. Apparently a kid had been bullied over his obsession with wrestling and now he was rampaging all over Paris looking forward to fight with someone. They heroes had to perform a lot of body fighting with El Macho, and both of them were running out of ideas. While she conjured Lucky Charm, Chat had taken himself to be the distraction and now… let’s just say that Ladybug was glad that their suits were indestructible.

“LADYBUG!”, Chat Noir shouted as he barely managed to block a kick from El Macho “THE AKUMA IS ON HIS BELT!!” he continued to shout while trying to defend himself with his baton.

“HANG ON CHAT NOIR!” Ladybug shouted back at him as she desperately tried to find something to use against the Akuma with the lucky charm. Her lucky vision only pointed out her hands and the gloves.

She frowned, but the unmistakable sound of a silver baton hitting the ground made her snap out of concentration and Ladybug couldn’t help but gasp.

El Macho was starting to strangle Chat Noir, who in one hand had the energy of Cataclysm and was trying to reach the belt. But El Macho had positioned himself in a way that prevented Chat from reaching the item by mere centimeters. The blond teen looked about to lose consciousness. Spots that didn’t belong to his lady were stating to dance across his vision…

BAM!

The weight was suddenly lifted from him. Once he could see more clearly, Chat Noir noticed that Ladybug had put on the boxer gloves and the Akuma was sitting on the floor, looking disoriented and the belt was destroyed with signs of Cataclysm _(when did he managed to touch it??)_. The realization of what must have happened came to him, and Chat couldn’t help to stare at his partner with awe while Ladybug cleansed the city and the Akuma.

“What?” she asked once she noticed he was staring.

“That, My Lady, was one mean right-hook punch” he complemented. Ladybug gave him a smile.

“Well, I was not going to let an Akuma strangle my cat”


	6. Foggy

Not loving Ladybug was impossible. Everyone in Paris knew that.

Chat Noir knew it more than every single citizen.

He felt it in his heart every time he saw her.

_“Have I told you that you look purrfect today?” he asked. She rolled her eyes._

_“More than once in the middle of a battle” Ladybug responded._

But… it was all a mystery to her, wasn’t it?

_“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ladybug asked._

_“Like what?”_

_“…like a smitten kitten”_

_“Maybe because I am a smitten kitten”_

_“…Right”_

Sometimes he would wonder what would happen if…

If she knew that he actually loved her.

If she knew that the flirting and looks were not a game…

But no.

Ladybug was foggy about his feelings, wasn’t she?

And she probably always will be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I got angsty. 
> 
> Anyway, we know that Ladybug suspects Chat Noir has a little crush on her, but has never admitted to her directly. So, I decided to make a little trip to his mind in this drabble


	7. Purring

When Chat Noir fell asleep on her lap after patrol, Ladybug could have just shaken him in order to wake him up so he could go home and get a proper night sleep.

However, she didn’t.

She didn’t knew why, to be honest. Maybe it was because Chat Noir actually looked… cute. His body was curled around her…. like an actual cat.

He was even snoring!

Ladybug laughed softly as she absentmindedly started scratching Chat’s messy head.

It went a while like that when all of sudden she heard a peculiar rhythmic cycling noise… almost like a motor… and it was coming from her lap.

More specifically, Chat Noir.

Ladybug stopped scratching his head, her mouth agape.

He was purring.

Chat could purr.

_Chat Noir, holder of the Black Cat Miraculous, could purr._

Oh, this was too good to be true.

Ladybug had to cover her mouth in order to stop the giggles from waking her partner up.

“Oh, Chaton, you really are a cat, aren’t you” she whispered softly as she resumed scratching him.

The only response Ladybug got was another purr.


	8. Ride-or-die

Ladybug and Chat Noir sometimes had to give credit to Hawk Moth when it came to dangerous akumas. Volpina, Puppeter, Lady Wifi… those had been scary.

Then there were the akumas that simply left then in a _‘What the heck?’_ attitude, like Mr. Pigeon and The Bubbler.

“HORSE RACING WILL BECOME THE NEW WAY OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!”

And then there were… the in-between’s.

Maître de Cheval was previously a man who owned a small horse breeding farm in the outsides of Paris. The cause of his akumatization was unknown to Ladybug and Chat Noir, but they were one hundred percent sure it had to do with horse racing, because there was no other way to explain the horses running around the city with hostages as the unwilling riders. It had looked a bit funny and ridiculous at first (didn’t help that the Akuma looked and acted like a cowboy), but then the horses almost threw and stomped people and things started to get a more serious tone.

“I’m getting tired of this, LUCKY CHARM!” Ladybug said. A red and black polka-dotted rope landed on her hands.

“I usually don’t have doubts with your lucky charms, but…. how is that going to prevent us from getting trampled by horses?” Chat asked as he looked at the object with uncertainty. Ladybug looked around trying to find something and then…

“Please tell me you know how to ride a horse” she said, looking at him almost pleadingly. Chat Noir gaped, looking at her and then at a caramel horse that was calmly eating grass two feet away.

“No… but it’s never too late to learn, right?”

“Great, ride or die with a horse” Ladybug sighed. “Are you with me?” she asked Chat.

“Besides the horse, does the plan involve something even crazier?” he questioned.

“You bet”

“Count me in”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you're blocked


	9. Petty Arguments

“You are being ridiculous!” Ladybug exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I am not! It’s the truth!” Chat Noir said, imitating her posture.

“It is not!”

“Yes it is!”

“Nuh uh”

“Yeah uh”

“Oh, come on! That was completely reckless, Chat Noir! If it weren’t for the suits, you could have died!” Ladybug told him in an angry tone.

“ _I could have died?_ Ladybug, you’re the one who once jumped into a dinosaur’s mouth and nearly gave me a heart attack!” Chat angrily recalled, “And you are telling me I was reckless? I thought I lost you! Why are you so petty about that?” he stomped his foot on the ground and turned his back on her, arms still crossed. Ladybug frowned.

“Well, why are you still bothered by it? That was months ago” she asked, her angry tone gone. Chat Noir didn’t respond.

“Chat Noir?” she called softly. His shoulders slumped.

“You are important to me, okay? You were my first friend and- oh forget it” Chat said, turning to look at her, “It’s just a small problem, alright?”

“Whoa, Chaton, just because it doesn’t look important to me, it doesn’t mean it can’t be important to you” Ladybug said as she put a hand over his shoulder, “I may be a bit stubborn, but you’re my partner, I’m willing to listen”

“Even if it sounds like a petty argument to you?” Chat Noir asked.

“Yeah” Ladybug confirmed with a little smile, “Even if sounds like that”.

Chat Noir smiled.

And Ladybug’s smile got wider.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir make a little stunt, and Ladybug didn't like it.


	10. New Look/Costume Alteration

When Ladybug received a new suit for her 18th birthday on behalf of her Kwami, Chat Noir nearly took off her earrings for the sole purpose of thanking the little god of creation for such a blessed sight.

Honestly, he could hear a chorus of angels singing in the background when he saw her (and when he noticed Ladybug had put her hair in a bun, he nearly fell of the building with a nosebleed).

However, Chat Noir didn’t expect Plagg to also gift him with a new suit for his 18th birthday. When a new Akuma came, he called his transformation and found himself staring at the mirror in awe.

“Thanks, Plagg” Chat whispered softly before jumping out of the window towards the attack.

 

* * *

When the cat hero got to the scene, Ladybug nearly tripped over her feet when she saw him.

The new suit was not very different from the first one, but this one… oh boy, it showed skin. And neck. And had he always been that muscular?

Was the room suddenly hot or was she imagining it?

“Ladybug… are you alright?” Chat Noir asked in a worried tone, watching as her face became almost as red as her suit; and also being careful to also keep his attention on the Akuma.

“YES”

Nearly everyone on the scene (Akuma included) jumped with the squeak that left Ladybug’s mouth.

“My Lady-?”

“I’MFINECHATNOIRNICENEWSUITWEHAVETOSTOPTHEAKUMACOMEON” Ladybug continued to squeak and ramble as she threw her yoyo at the Akuma and got away from Chat Noir.

Once he understood what she had said, Chat Noir could only say the following:

“Plagg, you are getting so much camembert for this”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this having seen australet789 takes on Adult! LB and CN


	11. Sultry

A heat wave had hit Paris, and everyone had fallen victim to the hot weather, and Miraculous Holders had not been excluded from the suffering.

“Pass the water, please” Ladybug told Chat Noir while she attempted to fan herself with her hands.

“One bottle of water coming right up!” he said before passing her the item and also grabbing another one for himself.

“I get that our suits can protect us from all types of weather, but this is just ridiculous” Ladybug muttered before taking a long sip of water.

“Yeah, it’s not even day time and yet it feels like the moon and the sun exchanged jobs. I’ve never encountered a night so hot!” Chat Noir exclaimed.

 “I know, right? If this continues, I will begin to suspect an Akuma is behind this” Ladybug agreed, whipping sweat from her forehead. Chat Noir didn’t even bothered doing the same. Instead, he dumped the water on his head in an attempt to cool off.

Ladybug simply stared.

“… are you that hot?” she asked. Chat Noir stared at her with his mouth wide open in surprise.

It was then when Ladybug realizing a minute too late what had left her mouth. “Oh my god, I didn’t mean-! I was taking about the heat!”

Too late.

Chat Noir was already looking at her with a sultry smile.

“Well, My Lady,” he said while he ran his hand over his wet hair, “If I had known you considered me hot, I would have thrown away my mask a long time ago” he finished saying with an eyebrow wiggle.

Ladybug simply groaned.

* * *

 

**Bonus:**

Hawk Moth sat on his lair, sweating and surrounded by ten electric fans.

“Perhaps,” he grunted, “sending a Akuma that controlled heat wasn’t one of my best ideas”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You got zero good ideas, Gabriel, let's start there.


	12. Communication

Something was wrong with Ladybug.

When Chat Noir showed up to patrol, he found her staring at the distance with a sad face. When he asked her what was wrong, she simply shook her head, dismissive, and said that she was ready to patrol.

And now they were about to part ways, and she still look upset.

“Ladybug?” Chat asked. She turned to look at him. “I’ve noticed you are not yourself today, and I was wondering if you wanted to share what was wrong” he said. Ladybug stayed silent, but she kept staring at him with an emotion Chat was not able to place.

“Please, you are not yourself, and we are friends and-” Chat was suddenly interrupted when Ladybug launched herself towards him, taking Chat Noir by surprise. Before he knew what was happening, Ladybug was sobbing on his chest. For a moment he didn’t know what to say, but then he holded her and started tracing small circles on her back in an attempt to comfort her.

“Hey…” Chat whispered on her ear. Ladybug looked up, eyes puffy and lips trembling.

“What’s wrong?” he gently asked.

“You-you are g-going to la-laugh” the teenage girl said, eyes reluctant to meet his.

“My Lady,” Chat started to say, “I would never laugh at something that’s making you upset, okay? It’s not our usual way of communication; I always say a pun, and you give me a snarky comeback. It has never included a mean laugh” he finished saying.

Ladybug managed to smile a little bit. After a while, she took a deep breath.

“A girl in school has been giving me a hard time, and school in general has been giving me a hard time as well… I guess I just suffered a breakdown” she said.

“Understandable, it happens to the best of people,” Chat said, “But it doesn’t hurt to tell other people, especially those who you trust, they can provide help” he advised.

“Thanks for not laughing” Ladybug responded with a soft smile, which he returned.

They stayed in silence for a while, until Chat Noir spoke:

“Now, tell me, who’s the girl who hurt your feelings so she can face my furry”

“Chat, no”                             


	13. Kiss

When Chat Noir found his partner on the floor, unmoving, he began to panic.

The Akuma that they had been facing had the power to cause immense pain to however got in the way of their blasts. He and Ladybug had managed to corner him, but then he escaped by firing a shot to Chat Noir, and before he knew it, Ladybug had pushed him away.

And now here he was, holding a seemingly unconscious Ladybug in his arms.

“Ladybug?” Chat Noir shook her gently in an attempt for her to open her eyes. Nothing.

Yep. He was in full panic mode now.

This couldn’t be happening.

It should have been him.

He was the one who took the hits, not her. She was the one who at the end, made sure the day was saved, not him. Tears started to prick at the corner of his eyes.

“Ladybug, please” Chat Noir chocked out, “You have to wake up”, he pleaded, shaking her again.

Suddenly he heard a groan, and to his relief, Ladybug opened her eyes.

“C-ch-chat no-noir?”  she asked softly, voice tight with pain. Chat let out a shaky laugh.

“Yes, I’m here” he said while he cupped her face with his right hand. “I’m here, My Lady”

“You- you need to- to- le-leave” Ladybug shocked. “The Akuma-”

“Can wait,” Chat Noir interrupted, “You need to rest, I’ll take you to the Guardian, he’ll know what to do; or I could take you my house and then call the Guardian-”

“Chat Noir, pl-please… we need t-to st-stop the-ARG!” Ladybug attempted to protest, but she let out a cry of pain. “Chat Noir, I-”

Whatever Ladybug was going to say, it was cut by Chat Noir softly pressing his lips on hers, eyes closed. She surprised herself by accepting the kiss, also closing her eyes; all pain in her body momentarily forgotten. His lips were tender and warm, and for a moment, Ladybug felt safe and sound. After what felt to be an eternity, he pulled over, and Ladybug looked at him with her cheeks flushed pink.

“I’m not leaving you” Chat Noir said, locking his green eyes with her blue ones. “Not now, not ever”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I CONFESS THAT- this is something I've been meaning to write since I joined the fandom


	14. Accident

“Remind me again how this happened” Ladybug’s voice filled the dark room.

“To this point, I don’t know” Chat Noir’s voice responded.

“I mean… how many akumas have we faced while saving civilians at the same time?” she asked incredulously. Chat Noir imagined she was probably throwing her arms in the air to clarify.

“Lost count after Volpina” he admitted.

“And how many times have we had some sort of setback because we have been hit by an akuma’s power while trying to save said civilians?”

“Still trying to forget the Reflekta fashion disaster, to be honest” Chat said, “And I still believe high heels should be illegal”

“I second that” Ladybug agreed, “And having my arm pixilated wasn’t fun either”

“At least you didn’t get yourself trap in that weird photo world, though” Chat replied, his ears twitching as he remembered the somewhat infinity white space.

“But back to the main point: how did this particular accident happen?” Ladybug asked.

“You mean being turned into a literal cat and ladybug and then get locked in a box, abandoned to our luck?” Chat asked, looking at the tiny polka-dotted bug resting on his nose, “I personally blame Chloe and her knack of pissing someone and then getting in trouble for it”

Ladybug let out a noise of agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originaly wanted to do something angsty, buut I remembered last chapter


	15. Animal Impulses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (inspired by Spatziline’s comic of Marinette is not a Ladybug on tumblr)

“Er… LB?” Chat Noir’s voice was filled with concern. Ladybug looked at him from her spot in the building, “Hmm?”

“What… are you doing?” he asked cautiously. She blinked at him.

“What do you mean?”

Chat Noir scratched the back of his head, not sure how to address the issue.

“Uh… well… I saw you grab some lovely flowers… and uh… when you said they were infected… I didn’t expect you disinfect them… this way” he said, while gesturing at his partner.

“What do you mean ‘this way’?” Ladybug asked with narrowed eyes.

“My Lady, you’re eating the flowers” Chat said. Her eyes widened, like she had just noticed what she was actually doing.

“I- uhhh… sorry. It’s just that… I have been- well, I haven’t gone crazy or anything!” Ladybug said, face flushed as red as her suit, “It’s just… according to my Kwami, apparently, Miraculous Holders have a little period of… well… adapting animal impulses… and well…”  she explained, not daring to look at Chat Noir in embarrassment.

A little chuckle grabbed her attention, and Ladybug looked up to see her partner sitting across her.

“I understand. My Kwami said something similar to me; it’s just that because well… cat and ladybug instincts are not the same thing, so it didn’t click to me” Chat explained. “And if it makes you feel better, I think I’m going through the same thing at the present time”

“Oh, really?” Ladybug asked, raising an eyebrow in question. Chat nodded.

“Allow me to tell you of this little incident I had with a laser pointer in the morning”


	16. Confidante

“I used to be terrified of heights, you know”

Chat Noir’s ears perked up in surprise.

“Really?” he asked her. She nodded in confirmation. “I guess that explains why you were yelling when we first met”

Ladybug chuckled.

“That and the fact I was just freaking out about the whole superhero thing…. when I first tried my yoyo, I was flung across Paris against my will” she said with a blissful smile on her face.

“And then crushed into meow” Chat said, a smirk on his face

“I should have seen that one coming” Ladybug groaned, but didn’t try to hide the wide smile that was forming on her face. “What about you, Chaton? Anything that you would like to say to one of your top confidantes?” she asked, curious.

Chat Noir was silent for a little while.

“I don’t where my mother is” he whispered, all humor and smiles gone.

“What?” Ladybug asked, shocked.

“I don’t know, and neither does my father. She just… vanished one day” Chat admitted. “I hope she comes back soon, though. Father has not been himself, and I worry… I worry that it will separate us”

Ladybug placed her hand over his. He clutched it.

“I’m sorry” Ladybug whispered.

“It’s okay” he said, looking at her, “You being here helps”


	17. Tension

“What do you mean you want to quit?!” Ladybug almost yelled, ears not believing what just came out of her partners mouth.

“I just do” Chat Noir kept his expression neutral, but inside he tried not to wince.

“But… why?” Ladybug asked, trying hard not to let her anger and confusion take over her. “We been working together perfectly, and we are so close to defeating Hawk Moth once and for all! Why do want to quit?!”

She felt that she was going to cry.

“You wouldn’t understand!” Chat fired back, also trying (and failing) to keep his emotions at bay. “It’s not possible for you to understand!”

“WHY?!” Ladybug shouted, tears falling down her face, “WHY WOULD IT BE IMPOSIBLE TO UNDESTAND?! WE ARE FRIENDS, PARTNERS- WE-” Ladybug hiccupped, “We trust each other. We are supposed to trust each other” she finished softly.

Chat Noir stayed silent, his own silent tears going down.

The tension had never been so high between them.

“Please, Chat Noir, just… tell me. Please” Ladybug pleaded. “If we are not going to w-work to-together anymore, at least just tell me”

Chat looked at her, sadness and grief having replaced anger.

“He knows who I am” he whispered. “Hawk Moth knows who I am”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *bangs head againts the keyboard* WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?!


	18. Midnight Hour

_“C'est moi Chat Noir, toujours présent,_

_J'ai des pouvoirs superpuissants._

_Pour la victoire, j'en fais serment,_

_Je me bagarre éperdume…”_

Chat Noir sung softly to himself while he waited for Ladybug to arrive, fingers playing with the ribbon in the gift box he was holding.

It had taken weeks and months, but Ladybug finally trusted him enough to tell him when her birthday was.

And it was today…. Or at least it would be in three minutes, since they had agreed to meet before midnight.

“I should have known that you too would have that song stuck on your head, Chaton” a voice said behind him. Chat Noir turned to see his partner looking at him with a smirk on face.

“Well, of course, it’s a song dedicated to us! And by Jagged Stone, none the less” Chat Noir exclaimed as he got up. “You got to admit, it’s just as catchy as the _‘Danny Phantom’_ tune”

“True, except we are not a TV show” Ladybug laughed. She then took notice of the wrapped box on Chat Noir’s hands.

“Is that… is that for me?” she asked, curious.

“Uh- Yeah!” Chat Noir said, a bit nervous, “I- Well-” the distant sound of a clock chiming twelve times interrupted him. Once it was over, Chat took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Happy Birthday, My Lady” he said while he handed the gift to Ladybug. She accepted it with a smile, and carefully unwrapped the box. She let out little gasp of surprise.

“A- a _‘Gabriel’_ dress? From the collection inspired by Miraculouses?” Ladybug asked, not hiding the happiness and amazement from her voice. “How did you-”

“I got my ways” Chat Noir said, smiling, “I take that you liked it?”

Ladybug’s eyes were shining.

“I love it”


	19. Eiffel Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Age Up, they are all young adults)

Destiny was a funny thing.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had defeated their first Akuma (in their second attempt) in the Eiffel Tower. And now destiny had decided to hold the final battle against Hawk Moth in that same monument.

How poetic, there were even a thousand akumatized butterflies around.

But there were two different factors this time. First, Hawk Moth had found a way to transform and use his powers without the need of the Butterfly Miraculous, becoming more dangerous than before.

Thankfully, the bug and the cat were not alone. Rena Rouge, Queen Bee and the new Peacock, Turtle and Butterfly holders, Le Paon, Jade Turtle and Mariposa were helping them this time. Even the Great Guardian, who was without a Miraculous, was providing support.

Things were rough. The devil butterflies continued to create villains, and despite Mariposa’s best efforts with new champions, the odds were still not quite in their favor.

“I’ve always thought that this place was quite romantic, but this battle is ruining my views” Ladybug said to Chat Noir as they both ran to help Rena Rouge and Jade Turtle fight ten newly created akumas. Not far away, Queen Bee and Le Paon provided back up for Master Fu.

“Why should it be ruined, My Lady? Let’s be a bit optimistic!” Chat said as he kicked an Akuma, “Maybe we’ll win!”

“I want that as much as you do, Chaton” Ladybug replied as she hit another Akuma with her yoyo, “But there have been too many akumas in here and Hawk Moth is _not helping._ If we win, this place will be known as a battlefield”

Chat took her hand, kissing the back of it before looking back at her.

“Then lets not make it feel that way. After we win, let’s do something, let’s go on a date, let’s get-” he stopped for a moment, considering his next words. “Let’s get married”

“Are you really proposing to me, in the middle of a battle?” Ladybug asked, incredulous. Chat Noir, however, could clearly see the light blush on her cheeks.

“Yes, yes I am, Princess” he said with complete honestly.

“Then I accept your proposal, Kitty”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, they know each other's identities in here.
> 
> Also, I know Nino will be known as Carapace, but man I love TheLastPilot's Jade Turtle name. Also, the name Mariposa comes from imthepunchlord's fic "Rise of Mariposa"


	20. Stay (A Little Longer)

 “Ugh, that Akuma was completely exhausting” Ladybug huffed as she sat on the ground to catch a breath.

“I agree” Chat Noir panted as he sat back to back with her. “Why did it have to be in the middle of the night? This cat needs his beauty sleep! Does Hawk Moth even sleep?”

“Maybe he’s a vampire” Ladybug muttered, “Or just plain lazy”

“Or…” Chat gasped, “He’s a lazy vampire!” Even if she couldn’t see him, Ladybug knew he was smiling. A brief, comfortable silence fell between them.

_BEEP! BEEP!_

Ladybug’s earrings gave her the third warning of detransformation. Soon after, the same _BEEP!_ came from Chat Noir’s ring. A sigh escaped their lips.

“I have to go” Ladybug whispered, starting to get up.

However, Chat Noir grabbed her hand, preventing her from leaving.

“Please stay” he begged.

“Chaton, I’d love to, but… our identities” Ladybug said, frowning a bit.

“We can stay back to back, we are safe in this roof and I promise I won’t peak at you, My Lady” Chat rapidly said, cheeks pink. “Do you have food to charge your Kwami?”

_BEEP! BEEP!_

Ladybug tapped her earrings, thoughtful.

“Yeah, I do” Ladybug said, “But… why do you want me to stay?” she asked him softly.

“I just… don’t want to go home yet” Chat Noir admitted. “I’m sorry if it sounds a bit ridiculous, but I’m a bit of home alone”

_BEEP! BEEP!_

“Fine,” Ladybug decided, taking again her seat behind Chat Noir’s back. “I’ll stay a little longer for you”

“Thank you, Ladybug” Chat Noir whispered.

“You’re welcome, Chat Noir”


	21. Trusting

Ladybug slammed her fists against the walls.

“How could we be so stupid?!” she angrily said. “We should have known it was a trap!”

At the other side of the room, Chat Noir was also trying to find a way out. Cataclysm and Lucky Charm had already been used, and both heroes were facing the prospect of having a reveal at the hands of an Akuma.

_BEEP! BEEP!_

“We only got two minutes left” Chat Noir said, looking at his ring with worry. A heavy sigh brought his attention. Ladybug had sat on the floor, arms hugging her knees.

“I didn’t want this to happen” she said.

“I know, My Lady, but I guess it was bound to happen eventually” Chat Noir replied as he made his way to her. He sat beside her.

“I know that, Chat Noir” Ladybug said softly, “But I actually meant… I didn’t want this to happen _this_ way: locked in a room by an Akuma, without any means to escape…”

Chat’s eyes widened in realization at her words.

_BEEP! BEEP!_

“You mean… you mean you wanted to show- want to tell me…?” he asked surprised while also attempting not to sound too excited. Ladybug looked at him, a fond smile on her lips.

“Yeah… I trust you, and I talked about it with my Kwami… and she agreed” she said. “But I’m a bit scared, to be honest” she admitted, letting out a nervous chuckle, which Chat Noir soon imitated.

“I tell you what: let’s close our eyes, count to three…. and well… be surprised” he proposed, taking her hands. She grasped them tightly, and nodded, closing her eyes; Chat Noir took a deep breath before closing his.

_BEEP! BEEP!_

The suits disappeared, and Adrien found himself holding soft and petit hands.

“One…” Ladybug’s voice rang on his ears.

“Two…” he followed, doing everything in his power not to peek.

“Three” 

And they opened their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this little take on a reveal while we wait for the real thing


	22. Sharing Food

It took Ladybug and Chat Noir a while to realize they had started another small tradition between them. They were fairly sure it began when Ladybug brought a box of macaroons from the  _Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie_ to patrol, under the excuse that they could have a little snack together before going back home.

(Not that Chat Noir minded. Instead, he fell harder for his partner. He went to heaven that day).

So the tradition of sharing food after patrols from bakeries and kitchens began. Ladybug would usually try to get from other bakeries and her home, but her partner always insisted on _Tom & Sabine’s_.

“What did you bring this time?” Ladybug asked Chat Noir after the usual patrol. He grinned.

“The best croissants in Paris!” he exclaimed as he showed the bag from the  _Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie._

Ladybug chuckled.

“You really like the sweets from them, don’t you, Chaton?” she said as she took one.

“Well, yeah. Best bakery in France, I dare to say” Chat Noir replied before grabbing one for himself. “Today there were nearly no customers, say I got them quite quickly”

Ladybug nearly chocked. That was true… she had been attending the customers today…

“R-really?” she managed to say, pretending not to know and trying to force the food down her throat.

“Yeah! I even said hi to their daughter, Marinette!” Chat continued to say, oblivious to his partner nearly chocking again, “Remember her? The girl you told me to protect from the Evillustrator?”

“Uh-huh” Ladybug said. Inside, she was freaking out. She had probably sold croissants to Chat Noir’s civilian self!

Against her right mind, she made a mental list of all the people who had come into the bakery that day. Rose, Alya, Nino, Ivan, Theo, Adrien-

Ladybug’s eyes widened. Could it be…?

She shook her head.

There was no way Chat Noir was Adrien….

Right?


	23. Addictive

It took her a little while, but Ladybug soon embraced the idea of being a superhero.

How could it not be cool? It was a never ending thrill.

An addiction that didn’t really bring damage.

Running alongside Chat Noir all across Paris with the wind in her hair…

The feeling of freedom, adventure and mystery that she shared with her partner…

The adrenaline that took over her body in the Akuma fights, while bantering with Chat Noir…

The jokes that they shared between them in their little spare time…

…

_Huh._

Perhaps…

Perhaps being a superhero wasn’t the drug that pulled her through the day.

Or the need to do what was right.

Perhaps…

Just maybe, spending time with Chat Noir was the most addictive part of being a superhero.

And Ladybug couldn’t complain.

In fact, she loved it.


	24. Summer Nights

“Oh! How about we go to Versailles?” Chat Noir excitedly proposed to Ladybug one night, much to her surprise.

“Why?” she asked, curious and a little wary of what her he had planned.

“It’s summer, My Lady! And in the summer, The Palace of Versailles holds amazing shows with fireworks and the fountains on the night! You have to come with me to see it!” he said with a smile on his face.

“Sounds like you’ve gone before, Chaton” Ladybug mused. Chat rubbed his neck nervously.

“I’ll admit I have” he said, mind flashing back to a few fashion shows. “But not to sit down and enjoy the view”

Ladybug thought about the invitation for a minute. She had never really gone to Versailles, after all.

“As friends, right?” she asked Chat Noir.

“Well… yeah” he said before adding, “Unless you want to become my Chat-woman” he purred with a sly smile, which got wider when Ladybug groaned.

“I walked into that” she said, hiding her face between her hands. Chat Noir, however, saw a smile fighting to decorate her lips.

“Yes, yes you did” he said as he extended his baton. “If we hurry up, we can catch today’s show in twenty minutes”

“Well what are we waiting for?” Ladybug said. “Race you!” she said before leaping of the building, completely missing Chat Noir’s little victory dance.


	25. Sober

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Age Up!

 “Oh, please let’s stop here for a moment” Chat Noir begged Ladybug. Not waiting for her response, he grabbed a bucket that rested on the roof and proceeded to spill all of his breakfast in it.

“Still hang over from last night?” Ladybug asked with sympathy. Chat weakly nodded.

“Believe me, Jade Turtle is worse. Tried to get him out of the bed for this little day time patrol, but he was completely knocked out” he said before whipping his mouth with his hand. “I hope that bucket wasn’t important…” he muttered.

Ladybug nodded.

“Yeah, Rena Rouge is no better, found her sleeping next to the toilet” she said.

“You look more sober than all of us, though” Chat Noir observed. Ladybug narrowed her eyes.

“Am I?” she said, touching her mask in a way that looked that she was adjusting invisible sun glasses.

Chat Noir blinked, look at the sun, then back at Ladybug, then back at the sun.

“Oh”

It was official.

No more drinking knowing they had a daytime patrol the next day.


	26. Falling

When he realized it, he declared that he would love no matter who was under the mask.

It had been a declaration and a promise.

And he would keep it, no matter what.

 

When _she_ realized it, she nearly screamed.

Not in horror. No, she wasn’t afraid or disgusted.

She was…. surprised.

 

It was something new for him.

Never before, had he fallen for someone like her.

 

It wasn’t something new to her.

She had fallen before for another amazing boy.

 

When he truly saw her, he laughed at the ridiculousness.

When she truly saw him, she cried in joy.

They had been so stupidly oblivious!

 

It had been fast.

It had been slow.

 

But the Ladybug and the Black Cat had been falling for each other for a sometime, in and out of the masks.


	27. Crime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternative Universe

Everything was quiet in the vault.

Only now and then, the silence would be broken by footsteps belonging to an Akuma guard making his rounds. If only he had been paying more attention, he would have noticed two figures hiding behind one pillar.

“Plagg and Tikki said this thing is more valuable than everything in the world” Ladybug whispered to her partner as they waited for the guard to disappear.

“They did say it would help us get out hero reputation back and expose Hawk Moth as the true villain” Chat Noir replied, “Although we don’t know what exactly it’s in the box we are stealing from him”. Ladybug caught the curiosity on his voice.

“I’d like to know too, Chaton”

The guard left and both partners advanced towards the wooden box that sat in the middle of the room. Carved with Chinese symbols, the box seemed to glow in the presence of Ladybug and Chat Noir, like it was calling out to them.

“So we have approximately twenty seconds to escape the vault before the security kicks in” Chat Noir said as summoned Cataclysm. “We’ll probably have to face an army of akumas”

“Good thing we have a Lucky Charm with us” Ladybug said with a little smile as she also summoned her power. A polka-dotted firecracker landed on her hand. A few seconds later a plan had formed on her head.

“Destroy the system with Cataclysm and grab the box, then we run for the exit. With my yoyo and your baton’s help, the firecracker will create a distraction in the hall. When it’s all cleared off, we should be already near the Eiffel Tower” Ladybug shared with Chat Noir, who nodded.

“Who would have thought we had to resolve to crime in order to save the world?” he asked with a little smirk, which Ladybug returned.

“Just destroy it and grab the box, Chaton”

“As My Lady commands”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, some explaining here: HM started a dictatorship in order to hunt down LB and CN's Miraculouses. He stole from Master Fu and basically took hold of all power in Paris and marked them as Public Enemy #1. Our heroes took a little Robin Hood turn and under Fu's and their Kwamis instructions, they take back the box with the other Miraculouses.


	28. (In love with a) Laugh

Ladybug had never really heard Chat Noir laugh.

Sure, he gave the occasional chuckle, or cries of joy, or dry laughs or nervous laughs, but never had she heard him truly laugh.

She had tried everything, from replying at him with puns, (which only made him fluster and go away after saying something similar to ‘Senpai noticed me!’) to silly cat jokes that only made him gap like a fish before saying that he had finally converted her into a cat person.

Ladybug was starting to give up…

…until one day.

It was starting to rain.

And they were about to go home.

_Funny, the scene sounded familiar…_

Ladybug was attempting to cover her head with her hand from the droplets.

“Hey” Chat Noir’s voice called her from behind. She turned around, only to find him holding out a black umbrella over her head.

_So, so painfully familiar…_

“Won’t you need it?” Ladybug asked, “I thought cats didn’t like getting wet” she added with a little smirk.

“We don’t” Chat Noir admitted, “But I remember you saying something about your Kwami and rain not getting along... so I think you need it more than I do” he finished saying with a smile… a true smile.

_I’ve seen that smile before… but where?_

Ladybug carefully took the umbrella, her eyes not leaving Chat’s. But suddenly the umbrella closed itself on her, making her gasp in surprise.

That’s when she heard it.

That laugh.

So true and so beautiful… the one that she had fallen in love with.

One that she had also heard in a similar situation.

The realization struck both heroes.

Ladybug opened the umbrella, meeting with Chat’s shy smile, which she returned.

“Hello, Adrien”

“Hi, Marinette”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *smiles shyly* Hehehe, another umbrella scene? Couldn't resist ;)


	29. Early Hours

When Adrien realized it was two am in the morning, he gave up on falling asleep.

Now, most people read or counted sheep or drank some warm milk, but those hadn’t worked at all for the teen model.

So, he did the only thing his sleep-deprived brain could thing of:

Transform into Chat Noir.

Surprisingly, Plagg didn’t complain when he got sucked into the ring, which made the kid think that maybe his Kwami agreed that a run in the early hours of the morning was a good idea.

And boy it was. Running across the Parisian rooftops turned out to be quite relaxing for Chat Noir.

Everything was quiet; the sky lay awake and decorated with stars. There were no thieves or tugs waiting to commit a crime.

It was peaceful.

The only thing that could make it better would only if-

“Chat Noir?”

Said hero turned around to come face to face with Ladybug.

“What are you doing here?” they asked each other at the same time.

A pause.

“Couldn’t sleep so I transformed” they said again in unison.

They stared at each other before erupting in laughter.

“Ha, wow, okay” Ladybug said, calming down. “This has to be the weirdest coincidence”

“I don’t know, My Lady, I think it’s a purrfect coincidence” Chat Noir replied with a smile, while keeping to himself that the night was perfect now that she was here. His partner rolled her eyes.

“Of course” she muttered as they sat down before talking for the rest of the night.

Later in the day, a blurry picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir sleeping on top of each other made itself known in the Ladyblog.

 


	30. Courage

He kept repeating the same thing over and over again in his head as he stared at her.

_“I can do this”_

_“You got this”_

_“I can do this”_

_“You got-”_

“I can’t do it” Chat Noir lamented. Queen Bee gave a huff of annoyance as Rena Rouge made the illusion of Ladybug disappear.

“She’s, you can” Rena said, “Just walk up to her, look her in the eye, and then with the most sincere voice, tell her you love her”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Chat Noir replied. “You’re not the one who’s trying to gather the courage to tell her!”

“Why are you such a scaredy cat with this?” Queen Bee asked as she examined her nails, “It’s not that the world is going to end if you tell LB your feelings”

“Beelieve me, Bee, I’ve tried” Chat Noir said, ignoring the groan from Queen Bee and the giggles from Rena. “But every time I try to tell Ladybug, something happens: it’s either an Akuma or our time running out” he added sadly, ears flopping.

“Tell Ladybug what?”

Chat Noir nearly jumped when he heard her. He tried to give Rena Rouge and Queen Bee signals to help him, but both of them had mysteriously disappeared.

Almost reluctantly, he turned to face Ladybug, who was looking at him expectantly.

“Is there something you want to tell me, Chaton?” she asked once again.

Chat Noir breathed in and out.

_“Just three words. What happens next, good or bad, will not get in the way of our friendship”_

He gathered the courage. Taking her by the hands, Chat Noir locked his eyes with hers.

“Yes, I do” he said. “I been meaning to say it for a while, but things got in the way and I was scared of your reaction. I fell for you, My Lady, a long time ago, and I keep falling… so what I’m trying to say is… I love you”


	31. Daybreak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AKA, these kids deserve a break

“Sooo… we’re really doing this, aren’t we?” Ladybug asked Chat Noir over the phone.

 **“I guess”** he replied, **“But if you want to back off, I completely unders-”**

“Oh, no! I want to!” Ladybug quickly said. “It’s just that I’m a bit nervous, Chaton, that’s all” she admitted.

There was a chuckle from the other side.

**“Me too, My Lady”**

Ladybug smiled as the call ended.

For the first time ever, they would be meeting outside of battles, patrols _and_ uniform to hang out. Their kwamis had, surprisingly, approved, and had also provided them with civilian disguises with the Lucky Bug and Black Cat aesthetic (however, they were still required to be inside the Miraculouses in order for it to work). Instead of masks, sunglasses would protect their identities.

Ladybug stooped in front of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero, looking around rather nervously to see if she could spot her partner among the people.

She saw tourists, families and a few of her classmates, like Juleka, Alix and Ivan, but none of them recognized her.

“Um… LB?” a timid voice asked from behind her. Ladybug turned to come face to face with Chat Noir, minus the cat ears and tail. She noticed, quite amused, that his hair was still a mess, but she managed to recognize her loyal and goofy partner none less.

“Chaton” she greeted him with a smile.

“My Lady” he returned, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. Ladybug playfully rolled her eyes at the familiar gesture.

“So, shall we start this little daybreak?” Chat Noir asked, not bothering to hide the excitement in his voice. She nodded vigorously before taking him by the arm.

“Come on! I want to show you this great café near here…” Ladybug said as she eagerly dragged Chat towards the location, his bubbling laughter soon following (and hers joining quickly) as they ran together.

All through the day, both of them couldn’t help but think:

_“That’s funny, without the mask and uniform; she/he kinda looks like someone I know”_


End file.
